tuna helper February 12, 2006

This past week, I worked on a job where I did not see daylight for four days. FOUR DAYS. Needless to say that Kitchen Stadium at Chez T was on holiday. Not only is working like that exhausting in every sense of the word – and i often don’t have much of an appetite after being around the food that much – but I also don’t feel like going to the market after a long day, either.

In an inspired moment, I managed to make an amazing salad (if i do say so myself) with ingredients I had on hand, which just happened to be four of my favorite things: onion, hearts of palm, olives, and sushi tuna. The thing that tied the dish together was something that I don’t normally condone – pre-made salad dressing. There is one particular kind that I will buy, which is Brianna’s Real French Vinaigrette. Other than that, its all homemade for me. It served as both the dressing and the marinade. Could it get any easier than that? (Editor’s note: please don’t imagine me doing the Rachel Ray hand gestures when I said that, ok?)

1. Marinate tuna in dressing for 4-5 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it as the acid in the dressing will start to cook the outside of your fish!

2. While this happening, cut and mix all of your ingredients save for the field greens.

3. Heat medium skillet and sear tuna on each side – the time depends on the thickness of your piece of fish and the rareness that you can handle. I do mine for 2 minutes on each side.

4. Plate a small mound of greens on the plate and top with your HOP/olive/red onion mixture lightly covered in dressing. Place seared tuna on top – cut it to whatever thickness you like – and drizzle with remaining dressing to taste.